This invention relates to a seal for providing a watertight seal at a juncture between two surfaces which are inclined to each other, usually at substantial right angles to each other, and which tend to undergo relative movement. The inventive seal is especially, but not exclusively, concerned with a flexible elongate seal for application to an item of sanitaryware, such as a bath, basin or shower tray, to prevent the ingress of water between the sanitaryware item and an adjacent wall or other surface against which the item is installed. The inventive seal also has other applications where a seal, preferably a flexible elongate watertight seal, is required between two inclined surfaces, for example, between a floor and a wall between a wall and a ceiling or between a worktop surface and an adjacent wall or wall tiles.
In my co-pending British Patent Application No. 9511221.5 (Publication No. 2289924), there is disclosed a seal for sealing between two surfaces at substantial right angles to each other, the seal comprising first and second preformed, liquid-impervious strips having respective interlocatable members, the first strip being generally L-shaped with its interlocatable member being constituted by one limb thereof and the other limb thereof providing a first outer surface and a sealing edge, and the interlocatable member of the second strip having a surface which overlies the one limb of the first strip to form a second outer surface. In this manner, the first and second outer surfaces of the assembled and installed seal provide a gravity water run-off surface, as well as a drip strip. Also, the leading edges of the upstanding one limb of the first strip and of the surface of the other limb (drip-strip) of the second strip which overlies that one limb, may be enlarged in section by a sufficient amount to provide a contact fit with each other, so forming a sliding seal to prevent the risk of water penetrating the interior of the seal by capillary action. Those enlarged section edges can also serve to form a xe2x80x9cclip togetherxe2x80x9d action between the two strips, the purpose being to facilitate assembly, installation and adjustment of the seal with respect to the two inclined surfaces to which it is applied. Further, the two strips, when interlocated together, allow relative, usually vertical, sliding or telescopic movement by varying the degree of overlap, when seen in section. The strips may also be sufficiently flexible to allow a degree of longitudinal movement therebetween, whilst maintaining the water run-off and drip capability of the seal.
However, it has been found that, because the two strips are preformed as unitary components of the seal, difficulties can arise, in certain circumstances, in the installation of the seal, particularly with regard to the securement of the second strip to an adjacent surface, such as a wall, and the subsequent interlocation of the first strip with respect to the second strip, as well as the application of any adhesive and/or sealant between the two strips and adjacent surfaces, such as a wall and the rim of a bath.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a seal which overcomes, or at least substantially reduces, the disadvantages associated with not only the seal described above but also other known forms of elongate seals, sealing strips and the like.
Accordingly, the invention provides a seal for sealing between two surfaces inclined to each other, the seal comprising first and second strips which are interlocatable with each other to allow telescopic movement therebetween, when viewed in cross-section, during use, the first strip having a section defining a first outer surface of the seal and the second strip having a section which at least partially overlies the first strip section in sliding engagement therewith to define a second outer surface of the seal, wherein at least one of the two strips comprises an additional section which is securable to an adjacent surface and to which the outer surface-defining section of said at least one strip is securable or secured detachably.
Preferably the so-defined first and second outer surfaces of the seal are substantially contiguous with each other, to provide an overall outer facia surface for the seal, as well as a gravity water run-off and, optionally, a drip strip therefor.
With the outer surface-defining section of the or each strip detachably secured or securable to the additional section thereof, then a snap-fit arrangement therebetween is preferred.
In a preferred embodiment of the inventive seal to be described hereinbelow, both strips have additional sections to which their respective outer surface-defining sections can be secured, again preferably detachably.
However, if only one of the first and second strips has such an additional section for securing it to an adjacent surface, then the second strip is preferred. This is because the second strip is normally secured to an adjacent surface, such as a wall surface, in which case, its additional section can be so-secured quite readily, before the first strip is placed in position with respect to it and adjacent its associated surface, such as the rim of a bath, for subsequent securement of the second outer surface-defining section of the second strip to that additional section, so that the respective members of the strips are interlocated, with the second outer surface-defining section of the second strip at least partially overlying the first strip section which defines the first outer surface of the seal.
Also, when both the first and second strips have respective additional sections, then those two additional sections are preferably provided with means for positioning themselves in proper relationship with respect to each other, during and after installation of the seal. Such positioning means may comprise complementary formations on the respective additional sections. For example, a loose-fit male/female arrangement may be used, to allow for the telescopic and, optionally, relative longitudinal movement between the first and second strips after installation of the seal between, say, a wall and a bath rim.
The first strip preferably has an upstanding member which is interlocated or interlocatable with the second strip, to allow the relative movement therebetween. That interlocatable member is preferably a part of the first outer surface-defining section of the first strip and may be inserted or insertable between the second outer surface-defining section and any additional section of the second strip, to allow such lateral relative movement between the two strips after installation of the seal. The upstanding interlocatable member of the first strip may be provided, preferably at its free end, with a lip which is in sliding and wiping contact with an adjacent inner surface of the second strip, to assist in the prevention of the ingress of water into the interior of the installed seal. That adjacent surface of the second strip is preferably an inner surface of the second outer surface-defining section of that strip remote from or opposite the second outer surface defined thereby.
The first outer surface-defining section of the first strip may be provided with a lip portion, preferably remote from any upstanding interlocatable member thereof, which is arranged to engage the surface, such as the rim of a bath to which the first strip is secured, and, optionally, to provide a cover for any mastic or adhesive located thereunder.
The additional section of the at least one strip can be provided with at least one foot for spacing that section, and hence the corresponding strip(s), from the adjacent surface(s) against which the seal is installed. The so-formed space(s) between the at least one strip and adjacent surface(s) can accommodate an adhesive, such as a mastic, for sealing the corresponding strip(s) to that surface(s). Also, the or each additional section may be provided with through holes, to allow adhesive and/or mastic to flow therethrough and, when set, to enhance the sealing effect between the seal and adjacent surfaces.
In one embodiment of the inventive seal, there is provided a further section to which the additional section of either the first or second strip can be attached, again preferably detachably, and which can assist in the securement of the seal to an adjacent wall, particularly during tiling thereof, as will be described in more detail hereinbelow. Such a further section may be provided for each of the first and second strips of the seal.
Also, the inventive seal may be provided in the form of a kit of parts comprising at least:
the first and second outer surface-defining sections of respective first and second strips of the seal;
at least one, and preferably both, of the respective additional section therefor, as defined in accordance with the invention hereinabove; and
the further section to which the additional section of the corresponding first or second strip is detachably secured or securable.
In a preferred form of such seal kit, five parts, namely the first and second outer-surface defining sections, both additional sections therefor and the further section, are provided.
In this manner, when the seal is installed between, say, the rim of a bath and a wall during tiling thereof, a portion of the further section secured to the additional section of, say, the second strip of the seal, can be located behind a row of tiles whilst they are being adhered to the wall.
Alternatively, when the seal is installed between, say, the rim of a bath and an existing tiled wall, then the further section can be discarded and the additional section of, say, the second strip of the seal can be adhered, or otherwise secured, directly to any existing row of tiles.
If, for instance, the seal is to be installed between a wall and floor in the region of the juncture thereof, then the kit may comprise six basic parts, namely the first and second outer surface-defining sections, both additional sections therefor and two further sections to be attached to respective ones of the two additional sections, so that portions of the respective further sections can be applied behind a row of wall tiles, or other wall covering, and beneath a row of floor tiles, or other floor covering, during installation thereof.
Alternatively, one or both of the further sections can be discarded if one or both of the additional strip sections is/are to be secured directly to either an existing wall or floor covering or both.
The component parts of the seal are preferably extruded from a plastics material or other suitable flexible and waterproof material.
The invention also provides an installation of a watertight seal at a juncture between two surfaces inclined to each other, comprising a seal in accordance with the invention as defined above, wherein the first and second strips of the seal are interlocated with each other to allow telescopic movement therebetween, with the additional section of said at least one of the strips being secured to an adjacent one of the two inclined surfaces and with the outer surface-defining section of said at least one strip being secured detachably to the additional section. The two inclined surfaces are usually at substantial right angles to each other.
Thus, the invention provides a watertight seal between a pair of inclined surfaces, with the first and second strips of the seal being capable during use of telescopic movement of several millimeters therebetween without jeopardising the integrity of the seal. Also, the detachability of the outer surface-defining section of the at least one strip when secured to the additional section, facilitates installation of the seal, particularly at vertical corner regions of the pair of inclined surfaces, such as wall corners, for example, the securement of at least the second strip to an adjacent surface, such as a wall, and the subsequent interlocation of the first strip with respect to the second strip, as well as the application of any adhesive and/or sealant between the strips and adjacent surfaces, such as a wall and the rim of a sanitaryware item, like a bath.
Further, sliding engagement between the two sections of the strips enables smooth telescopic movement between the two strips, whilst also contributing to the maintenance of the integrity of the seal.